Crown Jewel 2025: A night that felt like a living history lesson
WWE Crown Jewel 2025 took over RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, delivering one of the company’s strongest bell-to-bell showcases in years. At the center were two living legends who proved that longevity and reverence for the sport can coincide with high-stakes storytelling: John Cena and AJ Styles. The night also showcased Seth Rollins rising to a new plateau, Stephanie Vaquer continuing her meteoric ascent, and Rhea Ripley reaffirming her versatility as WWE’s Swiss Army knife. Here are five takeaways shaping WWE’s course as it moves forward from Crown Jewel.
A timeless groove: John Cena’s retirement run hits its stride
John Cena’s landmark showdown with AJ Styles—paired with his championship loss to Cody Rhodes earlier in the weekend—felt less like ceremonial nostalgia and more like a purposeful sprint toward a meaningful ending. Cena and Styles, two icons whose careers trace back to different corners of the wrestling world, laid bare a shared commitment to wrestling’s essence: storytelling, grit, and a willingness to leave everything in the ring. The performance highlighted Cena’s enduring ring IQ and Styles’ willingness to chase perfection late in a career that still hums with possibility. The arc offered a rare glimpse of a retirement tour done right: high-stakes, emotionally resonant, and unmistakably earned. For Cena, the question remains not if he’ll perform at the peak of his powers again, but how the final stretch will be remembered—and the Perth bout certainly raised that bar, even as critics noted a few earlier dates didn’t land with the same impact.
Rollins rises: A win that elevates WWE’s current world title landscape
Before Crown Jewel, the talk centered on whether Seth Rollins could overcome Cody Rhodes on equal terms. The match received a fresh layer of drama when Paul Heyman promised no outside interference from The Vision, allowing Rollins to stand on his own. A pivotal moment came when Rhodes gifted Rollins the watch he earned by winning the Undisputed WWE Championship—an emotional prop that underscored Rollins’ evolution. The result: Rollins captured the Crown Jewel Championship, positioning him as a true counterweight to Rhodes’ established star power. The victory is more than a belt swap; it signals WWE’s willingness to cultivate a durable, multi-layered rivalry that can fuel pay-per-views and weekly television alike. Rhodes and Rollins now exist as natural rivals with plenty of future conflict to mine, ensuring fresh chapters in their ongoing saga.
Vaquer’s ascent: WWE doubles down on Stephanie Vaquer
Stephanie Vaquer’s rise has been rapid and electric, and Crown Jewel reinforced that momentum. The event crowned Vaquer as the second Women’s Crown Jewel Champion—an achievement that cements her as a centerpiece of WWE’s women’s division. The pathway next is less clear, but the push hints at a possible WrestleMania main event trajectory, with Vaquer positioned to remain in a primary spot for the foreseeable future. The night also teased long-term storytelling possibilities, including a potential clash with former Crown Jewel champion Liv Morgan or other top challengers as WWE continues to develop a robust women’s program. Conversely, Tiffany Stratton’ s loss offers a chance to reset and refresh narrative options as the year progresses, signaling a broader strategy to keep both champions and challengers in steady rotation.
Bronson Reed and the Reigns dynamic: A moment that underscored a bigger story
Bronson Reed’s win over Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel felt like a turning point for a talent on the cusp of a breakout moment. The match delivered the expected power-versus-precision dynamic, culminating in Reed’s signature Tsunami and a clean pin. Yet the finish was complicated by ongoing tensions between Reigns and The Usos, which overshadowed what could have been a defining victory for Reed. The takeaway is clear: Reed has all the tools to become a major player, but WWE’s long-running story involving The Usos and Reigns will need careful choreography to avoid stepping on Reed’s moment. This outcome serves as a reminder that modern wrestling often roots big wins in larger legacy feuds, even when it would be more efficient to isolate a single success for a rising star.
Rhea Ripley’s Australia homecoming: A perfect audience energizer
Rhea Ripley’s return to Australia was a masterclass in leveraging hometown support to sustain crowd engagement. The event showcased her versatility by pairing her with Iyo Sky in a dynamic setup that kept the crowd buzzing after Cena versus Styles. Ripley’s longevity as WWE’s utility player—able to anchor a top program or elevate a mid-card feud—continues to prove invaluable to creative. The night’s structure leaned on Ripley as a crowd-pleasing anchor, ensuring emotional continuity from the Cena/Styles main event to the evening’s late-stage action. Looking ahead, Ripley could headline a WrestleMania-worthy program with Vaquer or contribute to a Survivor Series storyline that keeps the roster fresh and competitive.
Looking forward: WWE’s path after Crown Jewel
Crown Jewel 2025 offered a blend of reverence for the sport’s history and a clear-eyed plan for the present and future. Cena and Styles reminded fans why these legends endure in memory and influence, Rollins demonstrated how to earn a major title via a clean, decisive win, Vaquer and Ripley reinforced the depth of WWE’s women’s and overall roster, and Reed signaled a fresh wave of main-event potential. As the company moves toward Survivor Series and WrestleMania season, expect WWE to build on these threads: high-stakes rivalries with long-term arcs, smart use of veteran presence to mentor emerging stars, and a commitment to delivering card structures that keep fans emotionally invested from bell to bell.
